Green building and low impact development

Photo of a Built Green home

What is green building?
What is low impact development?
Benefits
King County help and incentives
For more information

What is meant by green building or "built green"?

Green building, or sustainable building, in King County refers to design, construction, and operation practices that significantly reduce resource consumption and environmental impacts through

sustainable site planning
energy efficiency
water conservation
waste minimization
pollution prevention
using resource-efficient materials
providing enhanced indoor environmental quality for occupants.

What is low impact development?

Low impact development (LID), an approach to land development that focuses on how water enters a site, is stored on-site, and leaves a site, incorporates practices that minimize impervious surface, protect and enhance native vegetation and soils, and manage stormwater at its source.

Benefits of green building and low impact development

Cost savings. Energy and water efficient designs reduce monthly utility bills.
Health and safety. Proper ventilation and low or non-toxic materials and finishes contribute to a safer, healthier home.
Added value. Use of durable green materials, lower operating costs, and healthier indoor air quality can increase a building's market value.
Ecological benefit. Making environmentally responsible choices when building helps reduce pollution while protecting forests and wildlife.

How King County can help and County incentives

King County encourages sustainable development and green building practices to help balance growth with protection of our region's valuable natural resources.

County incentives for builders and developers to use sustainable development techniques include

free technical consulting services for green building and low impact development.
cost-sharing and fee discounts available for use of low impact development best management practices (BMPs).
customized review schedule with an assigned project manager, at no extra charge, for residential projects achieving a Built Green™ five-star rating.
dedicated Green Track for green building and low impact development projects.

More information on green building

For more information, please see

DDES customer information bulletin #55, Green building and low impact development (PDF*, 86KB).
King County Solid Waste Division brochure, Rural green building (PDF*, 506KB).
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks: Sustainable building topics.

*Note: To view PDFs, free software from Adobe is required. See helpful hints for assistance.

To request information in alternate formats for people with disabilities, call 206-296-6600 or TTY 206-296-7217.

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	Updated: Apr. 30, 2008